Steaming apparatus.



y H. E. HAWK. STEAMING APPARATUS. APPLIUATIOH FILED JUNE 24, 1011.

2 SHEETS-*SHEET 1.

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Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

H. E. HAWK.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

2 SHEBTS-SHIIET 2.

HALE HAWK, O15` GREENVILLE, MISSISSIPPI.

STEAMING- APPARATUS.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.1

Application led June 24, 1911. Serial No. 635,136.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1,11ALn E. HAWK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenville, in the county of lVashington and State of Mississippi, have invented new and useful Improvements in steaming i Apparatus, of which the following is a specication.

The invention relates to a steaming` apparatus, and more particularly to the class of combined Crushers and `Steamers for crushing meats or kernels of cotton seed.

' The primary object of the invention is the rovision of an apparatus of this character in which the meats or kernels of cotton seed, when `introduced into the machine, will be thoroughly crushed and steamed, so as to soften the seeds or` kernels while being crushed, thereby loosening the oils in the cells thereof `for its free extraction therefrom. i v `Another object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus of this character in which` the cotton seed kernels or meats will `be properly moistened for the crushing thereof when passing throu rolls of the apparatus, to enable the removal of the oil from the meats, and also in this manner, the meats will be purified and will be given a brighter color, and likewise the oil when extracted.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an apparatusof this character which is simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and e'llicient in operation, and inexpensive in manufacture.

f th these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view therethrough. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the lineB-JS of Fig. 1. Fig. l is a horizontal sectional view through one of the jet nozzles.` Fig. 5 is an end elevation thereof, looking toward its delivery end.

ghthe crushing engaged, as is customary,

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.`

Referring to `the drawings by numerals, the apparatus comprises as essential elements a frame or housing, a series of crushing rolls mounted in superposed relation therein, a series of cant boards, and a plurality of steam nozzles arranged so as to supply steam between the lowermost crushing rolls of the series. The housing element includes `spaced parallel sides 5 connected by bottom pieces and by a top casing or hopper 7,` wherein there is located a suitable feedingdevice (not shown), operated in any preferred manner. The bottom pieces `are shown as formed are inclined toward each other and constitute, together with the adjacent portions of the sides 5, a discharge hopper 9.

Journalcd in the sides and transversely of the housing are crushing rolls l0, 11,12, 13 and 14.-, the uppermost roll l0 being located directly` beneath the hopper 7, while the lower-most roll 11 projects into the discharge hopper 9. The several rolls are frictionally the two live rolls 10 and 14: having their `shafts or spindles provided with driving pulleys, as usual, connected with a source of power.

Arranged within the frame, alternately at opposite sides of the crushing rolls, are diverting cant boards 15, the same being disposed so that their inner edges contact with the outer surfaces of the crushing rolls, so that the meats or kernels of the cottonseed delivered from the hopper will be directed between and crushed by said rolls, at the points of nips thereof. `During the several crushing operations by the rolls 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14, the surfaces thereof are maintained in a clean state by reason of the contacting relation of the cant boards with rej spect thereto. i i

Located at one side of the roll 12, and at the reverse side of the roll 14, adjacent to the point of nips thereof with the roll 13, is

a series of steam nozzles 16 which project outwardly from supporting steam tubes or heads 17, each being connected with abraneh supply pipe 18, which communicates with a with inner sides 8 which main supply pipe 19 leading from a steam boiler' or other steam supply. Each nozzle 16 is outwardly tapered and is formed at one end with a flattened elongated discharge mouth 20, so that the steam emitted therefrom will be spread, fan-like, as it is discharged in the direction of the point of contact of each roll 12 and 14 with the roll 13.

When the meats or kernels of cotton seed are fed through the hopper 7 to the battery or gang of rolls, said meats or kernels will be crushed and ground, and the crushed mass, owing to the presence of oil and gummy substances will form substantially a cohesive sheetv which is guided by the cant boards so as to pass successively between the pairs of rolls from one side of the machine to the other and from the top to the bottoni of the mill, being eventually discharged or delivered into the hopper at the bottom of the casing. The steam nozzles, it will be observed, are arranged to project through the cant boards in the direction of the point of contact of some of the rolls, so that steam will be discharged directly upon the underA side of the sheet or mass of material passing through the mill. The action of the hot steam on the sheet or mass of crushed meats or kernels is to soften and loosen the mass, to partly cook the same and also to sterilize the material. By the partial cooking the oil cells will be broken, and the subsequent extraction of oil greatly facilitated. By the loosening to which the material is subjected, the crushing operation is renderedl more effective; and the sterilization has a highly important effect on thevalue of the' product,

it having been found that meats which have become more or less musty and rancid are restored to their original purity and flavor. The oil subsequently expressed from the product is found to be better and brighter in color and, therefore, of greater commercial value, and the oil cake resulting from the subsequent pressing of the product is also found to be of vastly superior character to that resulting from the pressure of meal which has not been treated by the application of steam, as set fort As will be seen by reference to the drawings, the application of steam is made to the material as it passes between the two last pairs of rolls. It has in practice been found preferable not to apply steam during the early stages of the crushing process, but the arrangement of the steam jets and the quany tity of the steam discharged therethrough will be governed according to the dimensions of the mill, to the number of rolls employed, and in some degree according to the quality and condition of the material that is being operated upon. It will also be observed that owing to the construction of the nozzles, the steam will be discharged in fanvor jet of steam on the surface of rolls between which like jets that will impinge directly on the sheet or continuous cohesive mass of material that is passing through the mill, the steam being applied evenly to the entire under surface of the sheet or mass, being practically absorbed thereby, as has been demonstrated by practical tests of the invention. '1t is in no sense intended to deliver a spray the rolls;

on the contrary, the spray or jet is directed to the material whereby the steam isabsorbed. lntersecting the steam supply pipe branches 1S are valve casings 21, in which are mounted manually controlled cut-off or regulating valves 22 which regulate the supply of steam, to the steam nozzles 16.

llVhat is claimed is:

1. j 1n an apparatus of the class described, a series of superposed crushing rolls, a housing wherein said rolls are mounted, and cant boards directed toward the points of contact of certain of said rolls, means for discharging steam transversely of the rolls in the direction of the points of contact of some of the crushing rolls, between the cant boards and the material passing through the mill.

2. 1n an apparatus of the class described, a series of superposed crushing rolls, cant boards cooperating with certain of the rolls to direct material toward the points of contact thereof, and means for discharging steam through. the cant boards in a direction transversely of the rolls upon the material that is guided between the rolls.

3. A machine for crushing the meats and kernels of seeds embodying a plurality of rolls whereby the material is successively subjected to a plurality of crushing operations, in ycombination vwith means for discharging steam toward and transversely of the rolls directly upon the material that is being crushed prior to its passage between some of the rolls.

4t. A machine for crushing the meats and kernels of `seeds comprising a plurality of sively guided and subjected to a crushing action, in combination with nozzles extending transversely of the rolls directed toward the points of contact of some of the rolls, said nozzles being designed to produce fanshaped blasts against the outer surfacev of the sheet of material, and means for supplying steam to said nozzles and for regulating fthe'supply.

the material is succesf of nozzles being arranged on opposite sides In testimon whereof I aix my signature (Ef the seres of rolls find so as to disclargle in presence o two Witnesses. :nn-sha e blasts o steam towar t e points (if Contact of certain of the rolls, so HALE E HAWK l5 as to alternately subject the opposite sides of Witnesses:

the sheet of material feeding through the O. B. MACK, rolls to steam heat pressure. W. L. LOWERY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, D. 0. 

